The unseen Monferrato: in the Piedmontese municipality in the province of Asti there is a hidden underground town made up of kilometers of tunnels and tunnels. These are the so-called Underground Cathedrals of Canelli – Unesco heritage since 2014 in the context of the Piedmont wine landscape: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato – very long historic cellars dug over 32 meters underground directly into the calcareous tuff where some of the most celebrated wines of the area age. The perennial underground temperature between 12 and 14 degrees and the constant humidity are in fact the ideal conditions for the fermentation and refinement of the most renowned sparkling wines in our country. Right here, in fact, in 1865, the first Italian sparkling wine was born, in the depths of the cellars of box need Gancia, which can currently be visited together with two other renowned wineries: Contract e Coppo.
The reason for the construction of these tunnels lies in the winemaking vocation of Canelli, an important reality that is located exactly between the Langa, Astigiano and Monferrato. The majestic and evocative name was attributed to it for the atmosphere full of that solemn silence that recalls that of the great religious cathedrals, as well as for their beauty and historicity.
But it does not end here, outside the town – in addition to the suggestive Underground Cathedrals of Canelli in Monferrato – there are other mysterious underground chambers, rooms without light and ventilation dug into the stone by cantons, reachable through a cellar and used to store bottled wine. They are called Hellnot and they can be of different types: single-chamber, multi-chamber or corridor, with the housing of the bottles which can be in niches, steps or continuous floors. Some are embellished with decorations, others even have a table directly carved into the stone. Following the story of the historic cellars kept in the underground cathedrals of Canelli in Monferrato.
Cellars and Infernot, centenary stories
The Bosca cellars
With a history of 190 years, carried on by 6 generations, Bosca produces some of the most famous bubbles not only of Monferrato, but of the country. In fact, their wines have reached the top of the most prestigious international competitions, conquering the top positions in the wine rankings from East to West, even beating the French maisons. Among the most awarded products: the classic method "Riserva del Nonno", Barolo Luigi Bosca and Barbera d'Asti, Barolo DOCG, Vermouth di Torino and Americano, Mabel Barbera d'Asti Superiore and dry Asti DOCG.
Almost two centuries have passed since Pietro Bosca founded the family business. From that moment on, he and his successors have worked tirelessly to bring an increasingly vast public closer to the world of bubbles, following the consumption trends of the various markets but above all to create new ones.
With this goal, in 2021 the Bosca family created two new lines of bubbles: I inspire ed I explore. The Ispiro line is dedicated to the Classic Method and sees the release of: Alta Langa DOCG Ispiro (from 100% Chardonnay grapes grown on the hills of Acqui Terme); Mille Giorni (Classic Method Brut quality sparkling wine, vintage 2015, Pinot Noir 80%, Chardonnay 20%); Mille Giorni Rosé (Classic Method Brut quality sparkling wine, vintage 2015). While the Esploro line is dedicated to the Martinotti or Charmat Method: Asti Docg Esploro (quality sparkling wine of the sweet aromatic type 100% Moscato d'Asti); Asti Docg Secco Esploro (100% Moscato d'Asti); Piemonte Doc Esploro (Spumante Extra Dry Blanc de Blancs 100% Chardonnay); Piedmont Doc Pinot Nero Rosé Esploro (Extra Dry sparkling wine).
The Gancia cellars
Casa Gancia also boasts a very long history: 170 years and a permanent exhibition of historical material, ancient equipment and memories of past sponsorships such as the large Pressa Marmonier used in harvest time for very soft pressing of the grapes and 300 barriques of 225 liters for the fermentation and maturation of wine.
The historic brand that holds the birthright of "Made in Italy" bubbles was born before the unification of Italy. It was founded by a young Piedmontese, Carlo Gancia, who after studying oenology left for Reims with the aim of creating the first Italian sparkling wine using the processing techniques of the classic French method called "champenoise". Returning from his trip, Carlo together with his brother Edoardo began to set up his project by simplifying the procedure a little and applying it to the Moscato grapes typical of his area, until in 1865 he created the first Italian sparkling wine Classic Method bottle fermented. The official rules of the Italian Classic Method still followed today are those deposited by Carlo. His invention is a Muscat-based wine and therefore with a sweeter aroma than its cousin from beyond the Alps. Soon the first Metodo Classico Secco sparkling wine arrives - made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes - and the success that made the production move to the town of Canelli, in the Asti area, which later became the company's historic headquarters.
Unlike Bosca, Gancia has been under the control of the Russian Standard Corporation, owned by Russian billionaire Roustam Tariko, for more than a decade.
The Contract cellars
Even the history of the Contract winery starts way back in 1867, when the first classic method sparkling wine produced with Moscato grapes was released and the construction of the first part of the underground cellar was completed. At the beginning of the 900s, the consumption of Champagne began to change and moved towards less sweet wines, with lighter dosages. In 1919, Contract created the first vintage dry sparkling wine, produced only from Moscato grapes. In those years, reference was also made to the creation of the sparkling wines of the "For England" line, drier and against the current compared to the prestigious French bubbles, produced starting from the classic blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
In a few years, the Contract family also gained great success in Italy, also entering the courts of the Vatican and thus becoming the official supplier of the royal family. A great success that allowed him to expand his production and add red wines, still whites, Vermouth and syrups to bubbles. In 1993 the property passed into the hands of the Bocchino di Canelli family, well-known grappa distillers, until 2011 when it passed to Giorgio Rivetti, owner of the La Spinetta reality, who wanted to maintain a separate structure. Today, Contract sparkling wines, all vintages with a minimum aging of 4 years on the lees, are produced with grapes from proprietary vineyards located in the Alta Langa at altitudes ranging from 600 to 800 meters.
Coppo cellars
Equally fascinating are the ancient Coppo cellars, a family business founded in 1892 and now in its fourth generation represented by Luigi Coppo, which develop under the Canelli hill for an area of over 5 square meters and a maximum depth of about 38 metres. It was around 1910 that the wines of Contract began to conquer foreign markets, so much so that the Canelli company became the official supplier of the Vatican, of the Belgian royal house and, in 1913, of the royal family of Savoy.
In 1919 Contract produced the first vintage Italian sparkling wine, an innovative choice by the Piedmontese sparkling wine house and the following year the production of Vermouth and Liqueurs began. The processing techniques and recipes of the time have remained more or less the same, so that the flavors of that time can still be appreciated today. Giorgio Rivetti begins to collaborate with Bocchino, immediately sensing the great potential of the historic sparkling wine house, until acquiring it in 2011. He immediately comes up with the idea of acquiring several hectares of land, partly already planted with vines, near the small town of Bossolasco – located in the highest part of the Langhe – excellent for the cultivation of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, grapes used in the production of Alta Langa Docg. This marks the official entry of Contract into the Alta Langa Consortium, becoming a point of reference for the entire denomination.
Since 2021, Coppo has become part of the Dosio Group of La Morra, which is headed by the manager Gianfranco Lanci.
